Warning - Castle Rock Cut depth at entry and exit is shallower than the water database states!

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Pegasus

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FYI, as of last Sunday, August 19, the Lake Powell water data website said the Castle Rock Cut was about 19.5 ft deep, but both ends of the cut are much shallower at around 15'. On the northeast end entering Warm Creek, there is no safe way that two houseboats could enter the cut at the same time from opposite directions as you have to enter at an angle to avoid a shallow sandbar that puts you right where an exiting boat would be, and the exiting boat has no option to move except for a rock embankment.

It is also getting very narrow - and of course there were houseboats towing their ski boats behind them causing even more problems.

Just an FYI with the Labor Day weekend coming up. I, personally, will not be going through the cut again in my big cruiser until water levels come up - it's too risky on the ends entering and exiting, especially if the light is wrong and you can't see the rocks or sandbars. (PS-I also see that the big Wahweap tour boat doesn't seem to be using the cut any longer instead going around the long way through (i.e. causing) the Maytag Straights and APM).

EDIT: restating what I mentioned below to basshound91, the cut is still plenty deep for small boats that can maneuver easily to deeper water if needed, just be careful on entry and exit! It's also plenty deep for houseboats, but the room for error is narrow for entering/exiting, especially on the Warm Creek side.

I've included some photos below of the cut being deepened from March 2009 just 'cause photos are always cool. -Doug
 
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Pegasus said:
FYI, as of last Sunday, August 19, the Lake Powell water data website said the Castle Rock Cut was about 19.5 ft deep. I drove through it with my depth finder reading a steady 16'3", with both ends being much shallower, around 13' or less. On the northeast end entering Warm Creek, there is no safe way two houseboats could enter the cut at the same time from opposite directions as you have to enter at an angle to avoid a sandbar that puts you right where an exiting boat would be, and the exiting boat has no option to move except for a rock embankment.

It is also getting very narrow - and of course there were houseboats towing their ski boats behind them causing even more problems.

Just an FYI with the Labor Day weekend coming up. I, personally, will not be going through the cut again in my big cruiser until water levels come up - it's too risky on the ends entering and existing, especially if the light is wrong and you can't see the rocks or sandbars. (PS-I also see that the big Wahweap tour boat doesn't seem to be using the cut any longer instead going around the long way through (i.e. causing) the Maytag Straights and APM).

I've included some photos below of the cut being deepened from March 2009 just 'cause photos are always cool. -Doug
Click to expand...


Were headin up now in bass boat. Would you recommend not using the cut and going the long way around. Is it getting that bad
 
Basshound91 said:
Were headin up now in bass boat. Would you recommend not using the cut and going the long way around. Is it getting that bad
Click to expand...
In a bass boat, you should be fine to use the cut today and through the Labor Day weekend, just be careful entering and existing on each end where the deepest place to exit and enter is not necesarily a straight shot. You have a lot of maneuverability that a big cruiser or houseboat doesn't have, and a shallow draw, so I'd still go that way in a smaller boat, especially if other boats were not crowding me. It's plenty deep through the cut, just each end is getting a little dicey, especially if visibility is not good.

Even in a houseboat, there is a way through that is plenty deep today - just be careful on entry and exit - especially on the Warm Creek side, and try to avoid having to pass another houseboat going the opposite direction (don't know exactly how you'd avoid this).

I went through the cut a few years ago in my big boat when it was only 7 ft deep with no problems, but the entry/exit seem to be much shallower now than they were then. In a month or two when the middle of the cut is 7', I don't know if it will be usable because of the entry/exit depth. We'll see.

Good luck fishing!! And have fun!
 
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Pegasus said:
In a bass boat, you should be fine to use the cut today and through the Labor Day weekend, just be careful entering and existing on each end where the deepest place to exit and enter is not necesarily a straight shot. You have a lot of maneuverability that a big cruiser or houseboat doesn't have, and a shallow draw, so I'd still go that way in a smaller boat, especially if other boats were not crowding me. It's plenty deep through the cut, just each end is getting a little dicey, especially if visibility is not good.

Even in a houseboat, there is a way through that is plenty deep today - just be careful on entry and exit - especially on the Warm Creek side, and try to avoid having to pass another houseboat going the opposite direction (don't know exactly how you'd avoid this).

I went through the cut a few years ago in my big boat when it was only 7 ft deep with no problems, but the entry/exit seem to be much shallower now than they were then. In a month or two when the middle of the cut is 7', I don't know if it will be usable because of the entry/exit depth. We'll see.

Good luck fishing!! And have fun!
Click to expand...



Thanks man. Should be good weather and fishing should be getting ready to pick up
 
Pegasus said:
FYI, as of last Sunday, August 19, the Lake Powell water data website said the Castle Rock Cut was about 19.5 ft deep. I drove through it with my depth finder reading a steady 16'3", with both ends being much shallower, around 13' or less. On the northeast end entering Warm Creek, there is no safe way two houseboats could enter the cut at the same time from opposite directions as you have to enter at an angle to avoid a sandbar that puts you right where an exiting boat would be, and the exiting boat has no option to move except for a rock embankment.

It is also getting very narrow - and of course there were houseboats towing their ski boats behind them causing even more problems.

Just an FYI with the Labor Day weekend coming up. I, personally, will not be going through the cut again in my big cruiser until water levels come up - it's too risky on the ends entering and exiting, especially if the light is wrong and you can't see the rocks or sandbars. (PS-I also see that the big Wahweap tour boat doesn't seem to be using the cut any longer instead going around the long way through (i.e. causing) the Maytag Straights and APM).

EDIT: restating what I mentioned below to basshound91, the cut is still plenty deep for small boats that can maneuver easily to deeper water if needed, just be careful on entry and exit!

I've included some photos below of the cut being deepened from March 2009 just 'cause photos are always cool. -Doug
Click to expand...

Thanks for the warning. Just a quick question, when you go through the cut what is the depth of your transducer relative to the water level. Your depth finder should read from the depth finder to the bottom which may not necessarily be the water level to the bottom. I went through last week as well and read 18 feet plus or minus.
 
Powelldreamer, you have a good point I didn't think of as I have my transducer calibrated to read zero when I would hit the boat/running gear on the bottom. My transducer is about 39 inches below the water surface, so I stand corrected - the Lake Powell water database is closer to 'correct' than I stated above.

There are definitely still obstructions entering and exiting the cut to keep your eyes peeled for, but the center of the cut depth is close to what is stated in the database. I'll correct the thread title accordingly. The primary purpose of the thread was to warn others to be careful entering and exiting the cut. Thanks for your question and pointing out my error, Doug
 
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We boated through the cut on the 9th and 12 of August in our ski boat. Our depth finder was reading between 18 and 19 feet and it is a good foot below the surface. When we were returning on the 12th a rental houseboat had run aground on the south side of the cut exit on the warm creek side. The low water was clearly visible. I just don’t think the captain was looking.

On another note when we were returning two houseboats approached each other in the middle of the cut and one was clearly way to close to the center of the cut. I think they had maybe a foot between them when they crossed paths.

We will be using the cut with our houseboat on 9/3 early morning but definitely not be towing our ski boat behind our houseboat. I think we will motor our ski boat in front of the houseboat to help it navigate through the cut.
 
Just thought I'd update this post one last time as it is relevant today.

We cruised through the cut on Saturday, 9/15, as part of the Lake Powell Challenge. The depth of the cut is around 12 ft, but, again, each entrance end is very shallow, more so on the east side (Warm Creek side). On the Warm Creek side, we cruised just outside wakeless for several hundred feet with depths showing 5-6 feet. That's too close for my comfort.

Note that another post mentioned that the Cut will be posted by NPS as "use at own risk" tomorrow, 9/18, so the Maytag Straights (the area between the APM public launch ramp and Anchovy point/entry to Wahweap Bay) will officially be turned on! -Doug
 
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